


Heart of Ice, Head of Gold

by Shipper101



Series: The Ring (Season 1) [2]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: AU, Aftermath, Bourne Inspired AU, Lots of character death, Lots of references to lots of things, Sequel to Princess and the Ring
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-23
Updated: 2015-04-27
Packaged: 2018-03-25 10:27:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3806944
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shipper101/pseuds/Shipper101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After Lexa's momentous decision on the bridge, she and Clarke move forwards, while the CIA sends a team of elite spies to remove them both from play.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Mission

Langley was in uproar. Their first joint agency mission in years had gone south, and it had been the defection of one of their own agents that had caused it. With the FBI of all people. Nonetheless, top brass had done what needed to be done: Deep cover agent Collins and Woods Agent Anya had been extracted successfully, and were now recuperating in the CIA hospital wing.

The damage caused had been severe however. A major terrorist had been identified, and while she had slipped the nest, her allies and confidantes had been captured and rounded up in unprecedented numbers. Although they refused to talk, the CIA was looking for angles. And they would find them soon. The CIA always did.

This wasn't what was rushing through Agent Costia's mind as she went to a crisis meeting however. Her thoughts were all for Lexa. Although top brass all believed that her break with the agency had been ideals based, Costia knew better. Lexa was loyal to the Agency. Had been loyal to a fault. This terrorist, this Clarke, must have been something special. Costia knew that Lexa's heart was week at its root, but even so. Lexa had only known her for two days. The Agency had known her name for even less time. Lexa had had to kill one of her own team for that information. Clarke must be very special indeed.

Then, Costia arrived in the meeting room. Deputy director Jaha sat across the table. Ark Chief Marcus Kane sat to his left. To his right sat Agent Indra. Indra had been very critical of Lexa for her entire time at the agency. Costia had hated her for it. Now, it seemed, her beliefs had been well founded. Costia was surprised by the next person. The third seat was filled with none other than Bellamy Blake, in the flesh. Costia looked at him through narrow eyes as she completed the quintet. 

"Ah, Agent Costia. So good of you to join us. Please, now we are all here, we can begin." began Jaha.

Kane smiled and pulled a file out from the case in front of him. 

"Unfortunately, FBI teams on site were too paralysed with the prisoner influx and the disabling of their leaders to monunt an effective search operation downriver. As far as we know, former agent Lexa and The Princess escaped. Mr Blake here provided us with the locations of all major bases of operations for the Ring, so we have had teams raid them. Their reports should be filtering back soon."

"Once again, all the bases I knew about. Clarke's smart. She won't have revealed everything to me." Bellamy interjected.

"Nevertheless, we find it unlikely that The Princess will have gone to ground in any of her old hideouts. She knows that we have most of her people in chains. She is, however, one of the hardest targets we've ever tracked." Comtinued Jaha.

At this stage Costia interjected.

"She has advanced CIA espionage training, and a top band combat proficiency rating. I pulled her files from when she was growing up around here. She knows how to disappear, and she has proven that she has the will to do it. Our first reports about the Ring came through three years ago, and we have only learned their organisation, their membership, and their leader's real name, through sheer dumb luck, and Agent Lexa's quick thinking."

"Former agent Lexa. Her behavior on the bridge showed that she obviously has no desire to remain an Agent." Drawled Kane.

"She was a good team leader, but far too divorced from the ethics. She murdered Nyko just to complete a mission. No-one should ever be able to go that far. Anyway, there was a third individual with them on the bridge; the FBI's man. Do we know who he is?" added Indra.

Kane and Jaha looked at each other, before Jaha spoke.

"That was my son. She blames him for the death of her father."

"On that note, her mother has stated that she will not join the hunt for her. We need a new entry strategy. And we have one." said Kane, following up on Jaha.

Everyone looked at him. Everyone but Jaha. Obviously he had already been read in.

"Agent Costia, you will take Ice Clan to go and finish this matter. You have extensive past experience of working with Agent Lexa..." 

Costia's face burned red.

"...And you are the only Agent in the Clans with a Lethal rating. You will take Agent Indra as well: her experience of Agent Lexa should help you to pre-empt their moves. Your entry strategy is Octavia Blake. She is on enforced full co-operation. Use her to gain access, draw them out, and then dispose of the both of them. This is a royal mess, and we need to clean it up."


	2. Dragged by the Current

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clarke is a surging ship, and Lexa is dragged in her wake

Lexa felt herself being pulled from the water by strong hands after what seemed like an eternity. Her leg was still burning from the bullet, but she gritted her teeth, and pulled herself up. Her leg roared in agony at even this movement. Looking up, she saw Clarke tying Jaha Junior to a railing. Lexa let her eyelids close down. And all was lost in the darkness.

When she awoke, she was lying on a long, thin cot. Looking around, she saw Clarke passed out on a wicker chair. The light was streaming in through a window, falling right upon her. It set her hair ablaze, framing her head with a halo of pure light. Lexa just stared at the sight for a few seconds, before swinging her legs over the side of the bed. Or she tried to. 

When she tried to move her legs, she felt the burning pain return. Looking down, she saw that it was wrapped in pristine white bandages. Just next to the bed sat a wheelie table. Atop the table sat a silver bowl and some scattered surgical implements.

"Stop moving. You'll tear your stitches. I did a very nice job, and I'd rather you didn't ruin them."

Lexa's head snapped around to Clarke, eyes now open and fixed upon her. Her blazing blue eyes burned once again through Lexa. Her stomach felt weak, and she started to melt inside.

"How did we get here?" Lexa asked, looking around.

"I carried you in. Fortunately, you're light. Mr Lead was another matter. I own this building. I have safehouses scattered across the US. A few parting gifts from dad, and a few entrance gifts from benefactors. The CIA is not a popular agency, Agent Lexa. Or, should I say, Former Agent. I think you made your allegiances very clear on the bridge. For that, I am grateful. But I don't trust you. Not yet. Jasper said you murdered one of your friends. That's what confirmed your loyalty for him. I wonder, for one who has turned their coat once already, what is there to stop you from turning it again?"

"You wouldn't have saved me if you though I was a traitor already."

"True. And the slug that caused that damage to your leg would not have been pleasant for me. Don't worry, it was barely a graze. I stitched it up, and you'll be good to go in a couple of days. But you aren't the first person to save my life like that. And the last one wasn't exactly honorable."

Lexa frowned. The CIA hadn't sent men into the ring before. What was Clarke talking about.

"Yes, they were CIA, but they weren't looking for me. I was working with a PMC in Sierra Leone. One of their soldiers had a son, who had become friends with me. They were joined by a new person, a fourteen year old. He was the same age as me. I had been running from the CIA after they killed my dad for four years at that point. I was tired. I wanted to trust someone. And it's easy to trust a child. I grew very close to him. But it turned out that he just wanted access to the man with whom I was travelling. That man's boss was working with a few key members of a corrupt government somewhere, and boom. My friend is killed, the PMC is disbanded, and I had to run from Sierra Leone with nothing. Nothing at all. I was just lucky that I hadn't given him my real name."

Something clicked in Lexa's head.

"That's why the Team Leaders of all of the Clans are teenagers. It was always meant to be because of the SL trials. That makes much more sense."

Clarke just nodded. 

"The CIA realized that kids were much more likely to be trusted. Much more likely to be accepted. Ever wondered why most of your people are women? People don't trust teenage boys. But everyone trusts a teenage girl. The CIA have made my life a misery. That's why I founded the Ring. And I will still have my revenge. I'll just have to wait a bit."

"Can you describe the boy that betrayed you? I might know him."

"Oh, I know his name. He was Collins. Agent Finn Collins. He was with us on the bridge." 

###

When Lexa recovered from that little bombshell, she tried to get up. To move over to Clarke. To comfort her. She could see just how much his presence had affected her. The agony in her leg taught her the error of her ways. Clarke moved over to her, pushing her down.

"Enough. You need to rest, and let that leg recover. You have earned at least that much." 

Lexa struggled, but Clarke brooked no argument. She just stared Lexa down, until Lexa gave up, and stopped hurting herself.

"Now, if you will behave, I'm going to talk to our other guest."

"Jaha junior. Hope you have fun."

Clarke just gave lexa a sideways look when she said that, before sweeping out through the doorway.

Clarke visited a few times over the next few days. Normally it was just to check the bandages. Occasionally they talked about the Clans. Lexa hadn't realized how knowledgeable Clarke was about the inner workings of the CIA. However, her knowledge seemed mostly Ark based. While this was unsurprising: she had grown up in the Ark compound, and had known the Arkers her entire life, so she still only had an outline of what the Clans did.

"Why are they called the clans?"

"The Clans Programme is made up of twelve competitive teams, or clans. I was the team leader of the Woods Clan. Each team consists of five people; Team Leader, Infiltration specialist, two weapon specialists and a Support. The Team Leader or Infiltration Specialist are normally teenagers, but only ever one."

"Who is in charge of the Clan programme?"

"Deputy Director Jaha is responsible for the running of the Clans and the Ark, but beyond that we don't actually have an overall authority. We take our orders directly from him."

Clarke nodded.

"Your leg looks much better. Try standing up. Slowly."

Lexa started to pull herself around. Her leg now held a dull, throbbing pain, rather than the previous spikes of agony. Swinging her legs over the edge, she looked down, and saw the stitches. They covered a long diagonal slash across her leg. Clarke was right. It had just grazed her. She knew that a hit would have left a much bigger mark. 

"Try standing up."

Lexa lent forwards, tenderly putting weight on the leg. It was still sore, but the pain had slackened. Standing straight, Lexa wiggled her legs, and began to walk around the room. Clarke stood, arms crossed, observing. Nodding, she beckoned, and left through the door. Lexa let a deep breath out. Even now, Clarke had a way of turning her legs to jelly.

"Lexa, I need you up here now." barked Clarke.

At the sound of her voice, Lexa rounded, striding through the door. The staircase was old and musty. Gripping the tired wooden railing, Lexa pulled herself up. At the top, was a long, rectangular room. At the one end was Clarke. She was sat in front of three computers. Her face was bathed in their light, her hair glowing around her head once again. Lexa couldn't drag her eyes away. Looking around, Clarke saw her.

"Lexa; how would you feel about going to a party?"

Lexa just looked at her, partly confused, but mostly... something else.


	3. New Places, Old Faces

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At the party, Clarke sees an old face, and Lexa has a heart to heart.

The party that Clarke and Lexa arrived at was in the middle of nowhere. It was only when Lexa saw the glowing neon sign above   
it, looking like a relic from the sixties, that she realised why they were here. The Blake Bar. She followed Clarke inside.   
The atmosphere inside was palpable, as the partygoers stopped dancing and parted to allow the golden haired woman free access through the crowds. Lexa followed up on her flank, watching the revelers as they cautiously watched Clarke. It seemed that no matter the room, all eyes turned to the golden haired beauty.

It was the girl that stepped out from the crowd that suprised Lexa the most thought. She had seen photos of Octavia Blake,   
from when she was locked up in the penitentiary, but then she had been disheveled and bruised, tired from hard work and   
broken from interrogation. Lexa stopped herself there. She hadn't broken. She had never surrendered anything to the   
interrogators. Now however, she was a sight to behold, her hair tied back in a braid. Her leather jacket was worn and tired,   
but she fitted it perfectly. She smiled and walked towards Clarke.

Lexa drew her pistol and stepped up beside Clarke. Octavia had been the CIA's pressure point on Bellamy. Now they had Bellamy,  
it wasn't unreasonable to suppose that they would use him to get to her. If she was here, Clarke was in danger. Lexa thought   
about that then. She had only changed sides, betrayed the CIA, betrayed Anya, her friends, her family, a few days ago. Yet   
now she thought of the teh CIA as them, and she was quick to draw on a possibly innocent person just to protect Clarke.  
Lexa was grateful when she felt Clarke's hand on her arm. The blonde's grip restrained her. Looking up, she looked Clarke in  
the face. Clarke shook her head. Lexa nodded. Relaxing, she slid the gun back into it's holster. Octavia, who had been   
watching Lexa carefully, started moving forwards again. Clarke stepped out to meet her. Lexa observed. Her training was   
picking up on things that the other partygoers noticed, but of which they were not aware. Clarke waited for Octavia, then   
took just the one step to meet her. Therefore, she played her authority, by both forcing the other to approach her, and then   
denying them the initiative by the last minute step. Clarke held herself tall; she was just a little taller than Octavia, but   
she made every inch count. The witnesses were in no doubt as to who was in control here. 

Clarke met Octavia's hand with a firm grasp. The two girls pulled closer, whispering in each others ear. Occasionally Octavia   
laughed or smiled. Clarke remained stoic throughout.Finally, at the end, Clarke smiled. Lexa felt herself relax. Releasing a   
pent up breath, she let the expression roll over her, feeling it across her skin. That Clarke still held her mind in such a   
grip concerned her, but she hid it carefully. Her soul belonged to Clarke, but her heart was... torn. The Clarke's voice cut   
through her fugue. 

"Welcome everybody. I am pleased to welcome Octavia back with us. After her lucky escape from the CIA, of which I am sure she  
will regal you with stories if you so much as ask, she will be working with us for the foreseeable future. I would like to   
introduce you all to my newest associate, Lexa. She was formerly one of the CIA's finest, but after a change of heart, she is  
working with us. She saved my life, and I expect you to treat her the same way you would any other member of my inner circle.   
Thank you, and enjoy your night."

With that Clakre dropped the microphone and turned. Two boys turned with her, flanking her as she descended into a darkened  
coridoor. Lexa moved to follow, only to feel a vicelike grip on her arm. Looking down, she saw Octavia next to her. Lexa was   
taller than Clarke, and so positively towered over Octavia. She looked unperturbed. Lexa turned to her, shaking off her grip.   
Octavia laughed.

"Would you like a drink? I'm sure we have a lot to discuss." Lexa frowned at her, but Octavia simply dragged her over to the   
bar. The crowd parted as they walked through, looking suspiciously at Lexa. Lexa simply ignored them. Sitting at the bar,   
Octavia turned to regard Lexa, staring intently into her eyes.

"So, how are you finding the new job?"

Lexa frowned. This wasn't expected.

"It feels... right."

"Yeah, that's Clarke for you. I've seen a lot like you. She rules your mind. You live for her. You know what I mean. She   
dosen't even mean to do it. She just does. But you. I've only met one person who she sees the same way she sees you. Who she   
looked at the same way she looked at you."

Lexa frowned even further. This really wasn't expected. Did Clarke rule her mind? And what did Octavia mean, the way Clarke  
looked at her? Octavia saw her frown, and met it with one of her own.

"Think of this as a warning. You break her heart, I will rip you apart. It will be slow. It will be painful. She deserves   
everything the world has to offer for the shit life's thrown her. Just a warning."

And with that, Octavia disappeared into the crowd. Lexa sat back, pondering her words. She must have sat there for an hour or   
more, before she was pulled from her cogitation by a persistent tug at her arm. It was one of the partygoers. 

"Sorry, miss, but we didn't know who else to get. A man's been stopped at the entrance. Says he has an urgent message for Clarke."

Lexa nodded. Clarke came first. She may not be certain about what had brought her here, but she was certain that she   
belonged. Getting up, she followed the boy through the morass of bodies to the door. Stepping outside, she was brought to a  
stop by the sight that greeted her. Kneeling restrained on the ground before her was a man she never expected to see again. 

Sliding her pistol free, she took a deep breath as she scanned the buildings. This was very, very bad.


	4. Faces from the Past

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa and Clarke's escape is both hindered and helped by people from both of their pasts.

Marcus Kane looked up at Lexa, seeing her for the first time. He smiled.

"Lexa. Don't worry, I came alone. I have a very important message for Clarke."

Lexa walked forwards and grabbed him by the scruff.

"Why should I trust you?"

"You have no reason to. But, if you don't let me talk to Clarke, you'll be dead soon."

"Start talking. Quickly. Convince me."

"Fine. Octavia is a CIA plant. They still have her brother, and they're using her to infiltrate your organisation."

Lexa frowned. This was actually sounding reasonable.

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because I need to see Clarke, and I can't let Octavia see me. The Ice Clan has been dispatched. They'll be here any time now."

Lexa's blood went cold. The Ice Clan. Costia.

Grabbing Kane's shoulder, she pulled him to his feet, and started to drag him through the Club. She saw Octavia on the opposite side of the room. She almost looked like she was standing guard over the proceedings. Pulling Kane to the side, she sat him at the bar. She had an idea.

"Kane. How are they observing her?"

"Contact lens cameras."

Lexa smiled. This just might work, provided Octavia was as loyal as she seemed. She slunk around the outside of the dance floor, drawing herself next to Octavia. 

"Don't turn your head. We don't want any CIA pictures of my lips now."

Octavia almost jumped in surprise, but held herself. She couldn't do anything overt.

"What are you talking about?" she said, keeping her head straight.

"The Contact Lens cameras don't have sound recording. I assume you don't have a wire; the guards searched everyone, Clarke included. I doubt you'd get past that. We can talk freely, provided you keep looking ahead."

Octavia let a deep breath out.

"What gave me away?"

"Nothing. Kane arrived, said you were a plant. I thought that Clarke was right, that you were really here to join up again."

"Kane told you? But he's..."

"Handler of the Ark Programme, I know. Look, he says he has an important message for Clarke. Given what he's already told me, I'm inclined to believe him. The only problem is that he can't let you see him."

"I can't go against my orders. They have my brother. They've told me to stand here and observe the whole paty."

Lexa licked her lips. 

"Give me a minute"

And a minute was all it took. Next to the door, a drunken fight broke out. Octavia ran towards it, while Clarke dragged Kane across the floor, to the corridor down which Clarke had descended. Bursting through the door, the two guards Clarke had brought rounded on her. Tied up at one end of the room was Wells. His face was a bloody ruin, his arms, legs and exposed chest a veritable crosshatch of bleeding cuts. Clarke turned around to face Lexa, just as Lexa threw Kane to the floor.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Kane sat up, rising to his knees. Lexa thought that now may be a good time to explain herself.

"I caught him trying to sneak in to speak to you."

"And yet you brought him in here anyway. Marcus Kane, my father's handler. My mother's handler. The man who ultimately set them against each other."

It was now that Kane spoke up.

"I owed your father a favour, and I'm paying it back now. Octavia was a plant. She was here to locate you and hold you in place. The Ice Clan has deployed. They're coming to finish the job Lexa's Woods Clan started. FBI teams are converging as well. I have a friend down at the shipyards. He can get you out of here, but you need to hurry."

Clarke looked up at Lexa.

"You believed this crap? I thought better of you."

"He's right about Octavia. She confirmed it herself. She's wearing CIA contacts. You know what those do. She is loyal to you, so she let Kane and I come in here to warn you, but the CIA has her brother. She belongs to them for as long as that is the case."

Clarke's eyes opened wide. She almost seemed to slide backwards. Lexa covered the distance quickly, and caught her.

"We need to go. Now."

Shaking herself, Clarke nodded. Signalling to her two guards, they drew their weapons and disappeared into the party above. As soon as they left, Clarke turned, walking to a hidden door in the side of the room.

"Come on. If we slip away we can make it to the shipyards within the hour, but we need to hurry."

Lexa nodded, following Clarke's lead. They were not a second too late either. As they dissipated down a side alley, they saw black SUV's pull up all around the bar. Such typical FBI. Rushing through the side alleys and small streets of the city, they were suddenly blinded as a helicopter's searchlight stopped on them. Clarke didn't even slow down, and she ate up the distance like a born runner. 

Then, the first Agent appeared. 

Lexa recognized him. It was Agent Gustus. Weapons expert for the Ice Clan. She was about to shout a warning to Clarke, but Clarke didn't even slow down. Ducking within his strike, she twisted past the second blow, grabbed his throat, and swept his legs out from under him. As he fell, she seemed to roll over his broad shoulder, and dragged his head sideways with a sickening crack. Lexa just looked at the blonde in awe as she let the body fall forwards, his eyes staring sightless along the street. 

"Hyper Lethal parents, remember."

Clarke's words cut through her thoughts. Was there anything Clarke couldn't do?

"Come on."

And with that, Clarke started off again. Lexa ran after her. Five people in each Clan. One down. But the Ice Clan was the top rated Clan. Each of its members had a full Lethal rating. Four was still too many.

The next Agent they met while running into the shipyards through the main gate. Lexa recognized the Agent, but couldn't put a name to the face. He died just as fast as Gustus, his head twisted sideways by Clarke as Lexa tamed his blows. Three to go. The burst into the large, wide open space between walls of containers. There, they stopped. Opposite them was Agent Echo, another nameless Agent and...

And Costia. Next to Costia stood Indra, looking sternly at the two of them. A searchlight was focused directly upon them by the helicopter above, and Lexa could see the nameless agent's pistol drawn and pointed. Clarke slowly raised her hands. Lexa followed suit. This seemed wrong. After everything, they were just giving up. Lexa looked at Clarke. Let Clarke's presence wash over her. She needed to speak.

"Clarke, I..."

Her words were interrupted by a thundercrack. The Agent fell to the ground, the back of his head turned into fine red mist by a sniper round. The Ice Clan ducked, looking desperately around. Clarke charged at them. Costia saw her first, and threw herself at the blonde. The two of them descended into a worldless flurry of blow and counter blow, their arms and legs moving fluidly around, whirling and lashing out. Lexa charged at Indra and Echo just as another gunshot rang out. The Helicopter, recently perfectly still in the air, now began to plummet, as its rotor blades flew of upwards. Falling on top of the cargo crates, sending them tumbling down. Lexa threw herself aside at the same time as Indra, but Echo was just a little too slow. She was thrown to the ground by the falling crates, and lay there, unmoving. Indra and Lexa glared at each other, before charging.

Lexa threw the first punch. Indra countered and returned the favor with a swift elbow. Lexa span under it and brought her knee up into Indra's chest. At the last moment, Indra pulled back, allowing the strike to glance harmlessly off her body armour, before lashing out with a strike of her own. And so it continued for what seemed like an age. Lexa striking, Indra countering, and Lexa striking again. Eventually, Lexa felt herself tiring. The older woman was a more experienced fighter, and had let Lexa wear herself down. Indra capitalized on Lexa's hesitation with a devastating shoulder charge that threw Lexa to the ground. Looking up, Lexa saw Indra's thin smile as she pulled out her pistol. 

Before she could aim it, a hand caught her wrist. Looking at the owner of the hand, Indra's eyes widened and she opened her mouth, only for it to be covered before she could speak. Without another word, the figure wrenched her head sideways, with a sickening snapping sound. Lexa looked on in shock as Indra fell forwards, glazed eyes facing sideways from her head. The figure was wearing a hoodie with the hood up, so Lexa couldn't see their face, but they then extended their hand to Lexa, who took it, and helped her pull herself up. Then the mysterious individual was grabbed from behind, and pulled backwards. To Lexa's surprise, the person didn't fall, but simply seemed to contort, twisting the other person out from behind them and slamming them into the ground. However, the attack had removed his hood, and as Octavia hit the floor, Lexa breathed in sharply.

Jake Griffin was dead. Jake Griffin, the hyper lethal assasin, the most effective agent in the CIA's history, and Clarke's father, was dead. Yet here he stood. She recognized him, of course. All CIA agents were taught of the assassin gone rogue. Of how their brightest light fell so far. The very alive Jake Griffin grimaced as Octavia stared up at him, as shocked as Lexa. 

Octavia had the contacts. The CIA knew Griffin was alive. Lexa walked over and rapped Octavia hard on the head with the butt of her gun. Today was really getting interesting. Now, Griffin turned to look at her.

"Well, Lexa, lets go and find my daughter."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was planning to only have four chapters, but I couldn't fit the entire final part of the story in just one chapter.


	5. Head of Ice, Heart of Gold

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lexa's world comes crashing down

Costia was impressed. Griffin was good. She was very good. Costia was the highest rated agent in the clans, but if she hadn't been forewarned of the possible threat from Clarke, she would have lost almost immediately. The blonde was fast, swirling around her blows as if they were nothing, and she was strong. Costia was still smarting from a blow to the shoulder. Finally, Clarke stepped back, and Costia was able to take in her situation. Three of her agents were dead. She had lost sight of Echo and Indra along with Lexa after the sniper had sent the helicopter crashing into the pile of crates. She was losing this fight. Clarke was better than her. She knew it. Clarke knew it. She could see why Lexa had fallen for this one. A combination very rarely seen; Stuning beauty, phenomenally skilled, and with a mind like a razor. Costia needed to get away quickly. Clarke had seen her staring.

Costia turned and ran. She almost made it around the shipping containers when she ran headlong into Lexa. They both stumbled apart, before, Costia took up her fighting stance. Then, she saw the man next to Lexa. She recognized him, of course. But he couldn't be here. Goddamit. She was the best fighter in the Clans, one of the few with a full Lethal rating. How come all of the Hyper-Lethals were coming around again. Turning, she saw Clarke arrive behind her. She watched as Clarke's piercing gaze swept over her, then to Lexa. Then, her eyes fixed themselves on her father, widening to the size of platters. Obviously, she was as in the dark about this as everyone else. 

Costia took this opportunity to try to run. Charging towards Clarke, she felt a burning pain in her lower back, then an agonizing surge as thousands of volts burned through her. Before she blacked out, she managed to turn, to see Lexa aiming the tazer at her back, eyes apologetic. Clarke and her father were too focused on each other, and hadn't even marked her attempt to flee. Then, blackness converged over her. 

###

When she woke up, she tried to move and found her hands tied. Shit, was her first thought. Her second thought couldn't be expressed in mere words. It was some strange combination of excitement and horror as she realized where they were. And who was standing there talking to Clarke and her father. Her third thought was pure excitement as Lexa looked around from behind Marcus Kane and started to walk over towards Costia. Costia immediately pretended to still be unconsious.

"Come on, Costia, we've played this game too many times before for this to work."

That was true. They had been in very different circumstances- costia wasn't normally the one tied up- but it was true.

"Why should I even talk to you? You betrayed us all!" she snarled at Lexa

Lexa just gave a sad smile. 

"Because if you don't you'll talk to one of them." She replied, pointing at the Griffins."

Costia paled at this point. Hyper-lethals didn't get where they were by being nice. She couldn't imagine that rogue hyper lethals would be nicer.

"Just give me a knife. Then, I can get away. We needent see each other again. You could just go with Clarke. I can see why you like her, but I need to get back. Some of my team had families."

"Liar liar. We're both Clans. You may get away with that on them, but it won't fly with me."

Lexa leaned down and kissed Costia on the forehead. Costia felt the metal handle of the knife as it was pressed into her hands. Lexa pulled close to her ear and whispered.

"Till we meet again."

Costia smiled. Then Lexa rose and turned to walk away. Costia got busy sawing at the ropes around her ankles. 

###

By the time she was finished, the sun was low in the sky. Costia stood up and looked around, finally seeing where they were. They were on a cargo ship. Evidently, the CIA had been very poor at communicating with the FBI and co-ordinating their efforts. The ship was about five hundred meters out to sea, so they had obviously only departed recently. She needed to get to the control tower. 

Slipping between the cargo crates, she was amazed at the lack of security. Surely Griffin must have some people on patrol? However, as she navigated the veritable maze of the ship, she found no-one. As she drew closer to the tower, however, she started to have to avoid the crew. They were easy; they had obviouly just been bribed to allow Lexa and the Griffin's transport. Finally, she found a ladder up towards the command deck of the tower. Swallowing, she started to haul herself up, takning care never to even glance down. She knew what that would lead to. Finally reaching the gangway, she started to maneuver around. 

Around the opposite side of the tower, she found the door she'b been looking for. Turning the bolt, she eased it open and slipped in. The door closed with slightlyh more of a bump than she had expected. She paused for a few seconds just to make certain no-one had reacted, before moving across to the control panel. Picking up the radio, she input the frequency.

"This is Agent Costia, CIA. I am on cargo ferry the Grand Star, just having left Annapolis port. On board with me are Clarke Griffin, Jake Griffin, former agent Lexa and..."

Costia saw movement out of the corner of her eye, and leapt aside just in time. Instead of passing straight thorugh her heart, the bullet just ripped through her arm. 

"Affirmative agent Costia. Protocol Twelve has been activated. We recommend..."

Now it was Costia's turn. Slamming the radio into the ground, smashing it apart, she turned to face the gunman. Before her stood Clarke Griffin. 

"How did you ecscape?"

"I had a knife."

"Wrong. My dad searched you. Who gave you the knife?"

"I think you know who."

Clarke nodded.

"Kane told me about your past. By the way, he's on his way back to Langley."

Costia smiled. She knew she couldn't beat Clarke, especially not with a dead arm. She just had to stall.

"Well then. Since we aren't going anywhere, you need to die."

Clarke raised and aimed the gun. Costia's eyes widened. She needed more time. Lunging forwards, she managed to knock the gunshot off. Her kick to Clarke's throat, however, just landed in Clarke's hand. Spinning on teh spot, Costia span in the air, dropping to the ground hard. Swearing, Costia picked herself up. Her arm wasn't helping, It's dead weight was throwing her off. She drew her knife. In response, Clarke puleld out a length of thin wire from her pocket. Costia lunged, the knife flashing. Clarke span to the side, wire wrapping around Costia's arm, before Clarke puleld it tight. Shrieking in pain, Costia dropped the knife. Clarke released the wire with one hand, span low, picking the knife up from the ground even as her shoulder swept Costia's legs out from beneath her. 

Clarke threw the knife behind her as Costia pulled herself back up. Costia lunged once again, but Clarke batted her arm to the side. Sliding along the line of her deflected arm, the wire in Clarke's hand span around Costia's throat, and the other end slipped back into her palm just as Clarke stopped directly behind Costia. Bending forwards, Clarke puleld the wire tight, right across Costia's throat. Costia screamed, then gurgled, flailing desperately. Slowly, her movements got weaker and weaker. Her last sight before her vision clouded over one last time was of Lexa running into the room.

 

###

As Lexa burst into the room, she saw several things. The first was her knife, lying just outside of the door. She knew that this wasn't good. The next thing she saw was the smashed radio. Not getting better. Then she saw them. She just crossed eyes with Costia as the other girl gurgle dher last. As their eyes met, Lexa could tell it would be the last time. Then, Costia fell limp, and Lexa screamed.

Clarke let the other girl fall, sliding to the ground. Lexa slid to her knees, catching her. Holding her. Feeling herself being torn into tiny pieces. She was only just aware of Clarke walking around to the door, where her father stood. Only just aware that they were having a conversation. She should have been looking around. But Costia. She just lay there, limp in Lexa's arms. A horrible purple gash was forming across her neck, where the garotte wire had bitten in. Lexa's tears fell across it, along her neck, into her hair. Lexa just knelt there, sobbing. Then, she felt a hard impact on the back of her head, and the world went black.

###

"Agent Costia has failed. Protcol Twelve was successfuly implemented. However, our divers have reported no bodies among the wreckage. It appears that the crew and the traitors escaped."

"We need a more secure insurance policy. I am initiating Project Cerberus. In the meantime, deploy your people, Thelonius. Leave no-one alive. Ensure that the Griffens are removed."

"Yes, Madame director. Anything else?"

"I have seen that the Blakes are developing a rapport with their guards. Ensure that it is broken. We need to make sure that nothing gets in the way of Operation De Lux."

"Yes Madame Director."

"Please, Thelonious, just use my name. You gave it to me."

"As you wish, Allie"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of people getting knocked out, Yay. Anyway, part 3/4 of season 1 will be out in a couple of weeks


End file.
